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Cryptography and Network Security Quiz

#1

What does SSL stand for?

Secure Socket Layer
Explanation

Protocol for securing communication over a computer network.

#2

Which encryption algorithm is commonly used for secure communication over the Internet?

AES
Explanation

Advanced Encryption Standard, widely adopted for its security.

#3

Which of the following is a symmetric encryption algorithm?

AES
Explanation

Uses a single key for both encryption and decryption.

#4

What does the acronym VPN stand for in the context of network security?

Virtual Private Network
Explanation

Establishes secure connections over a public network, ensuring privacy.

#5

Which cryptographic hash function is widely used for password hashing?

SHA-256
Explanation

Produces a 256-bit hash, widely adopted for its security.

#6

What is steganography?

The practice of concealing a message within another medium
Explanation

Hides secret information within non-secret information, like embedding messages within images.

#7

What is a public key used for in asymmetric cryptography?

Encryption
Explanation

Utilized by anyone to encrypt data for the owner of the corresponding private key.

#8

What is the Diffie-Hellman key exchange used for in cryptography?

Key generation
Explanation

Facilitates secure exchange of cryptographic keys over a public channel.

#9

What does the term 'hash function' refer to in cryptography?

A function used for one-way encryption
Explanation

Irreversibly converts input data into a fixed-size string of characters.

#10

In digital signatures, what role does the private key play?

Generating the signature
Explanation

Used to create a unique signature for authentication and data integrity.

#11

What is a rainbow table in the context of cryptography?

A precomputed table used for reversing hash functions
Explanation

Stores precomputed hashes for rapid lookup in password cracking attacks.

#12

What is the main purpose of a digital certificate in web security?

To authenticate the identity of a website
Explanation

Verifies the identity and authenticity of websites to ensure secure connections.

#13

What is a chosen plaintext attack in cryptography?

An attack where the attacker can choose plaintexts and obtain corresponding ciphertexts
Explanation

Attacker chooses plaintexts and observes the corresponding ciphertexts to decipher encryption.

#14

What is the primary purpose of a nonce in cryptographic protocols?

To prevent replay attacks
Explanation

A unique number used once to prevent attackers from reusing previous communications.

#15

Which encryption mode provides both confidentiality and integrity?

Cipher Block Chaining (CBC)
Explanation

Each ciphertext block depends on the previous one, enhancing security.

#16

What is the concept of perfect forward secrecy (PFS) in cryptography?

The ability to generate a new session key for each session
Explanation

Ensures that past sessions' keys remain secure even if current keys are compromised.

#17

What is the role of an initialization vector (IV) in encryption?

To add randomness to the encryption process
Explanation

A random value used to ensure that identical plaintexts encrypt to different ciphertexts.

#18

What is the main purpose of an HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code)?

To authenticate the sender and ensure data integrity
Explanation

Computes a hash of both the message and a secret cryptographic key to verify data integrity and authenticity.

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